BUFFALO | We don’t have a crystal ball. However it’s straightforward to learn between the strains. Kent Hughes doesn’t look set to signal Matvei Michkov with the fifth decide general.
• Additionally learn – Matvei Michkov absent: A deputy DG trusts the concern of the Russians
• Additionally learn: Ryan Leonard, the candidate Kent Hughes compares to the Tkachuk brothers
Hughes, the final supervisor of the Montreal Canadiens, saved his recreation open when he met with reporters Thursday morning on the KeyBank Middle, dwelling of the Sabers.
The 53-year-old is an effective strategist and can maintain a sure secret. He didn’t say he would by no means contact Michkov. Nevertheless, he identified a number of issues about such a excessive election. You could possibly inform from his voice and his eyes that he thought the chance was too excessive.
Nevertheless, Hughes’ eyes lit up when he spoke of Ryan Leonard, a 51-goal winger within the US Underneath-18 program whose depth he in comparison with brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk.
We didn’t really feel that pleasure on the stage of Michkov, who is taken into account by a number of recruiters to be the rawest expertise after Connor Bedard.
“With the gamers from Russia, there may be the geopolitical facet. There are additionally features of the contract. We now have to do our homework. We should first consider him as a hockey participant and evaluate him to the opposite nice skills. We’ll do our homework. However there are a number of elements within the equation.
Contracts that don’t break
There may be the geopolitical facet. Russia stays in battle with Ukraine. Hughes didn’t touch upon that facet, however an NHL assistant GM recalled the hazard of the draft and talked about that some Russian gamers at the moment enjoying within the NHL are afraid to return to their very own nation in the summertime.
There may be additionally the contractual facet. Michkov has a contract with SKA Saint Petersburg for the following three seasons. The appropriate winger, at 5’7″ and 150 kilos, wouldn’t land within the NHL till the 2026-2027 season.
Hughes may stay with the fact of getting to attend three seasons for him. However there may be one other worrying facet. Whereas some sizzling Russian expertise like Ivan Miroshnichenko, a 2022 Capitals first-round decide and Shakir Mukhamadullin, a 2020 Devils first-round decide traded to the Sharks, have opted to go away the KHL, others are extending theirs Keep.
The Carolina Hurricanes can attest to that. They had been hoping for the arrival of defender Aleksander Nikishin, a third-round decide in 2020. Creator of a season with 55 factors (11 targets, 44 assists) in 65 video games in Saint Petersburg, Nikishin renewed his contract within the KHL. He shall be 22 subsequent October and can spend a minimum of two extra seasons in his dwelling nation.
“Sure [ça peut jouer dans notre tête], replied Hughes. Michkov is at the moment on a three-year contract. However it’s not that re-signing isn’t allowed in Russia. There are different gamers to select from who’ve signed contract extensions in Russia.
“Russia not has an settlement with the Worldwide Hockey Federation and you’ll’t break a contract,” he chained. So you possibly can wait a very long time for a participant.
nothing private
If we have now to boost one other crimson flag, it’s to isolate Russia from the remainder of the world for causes we all know.
Hughes has not seen Mitchkov at a rink because the 2021 U18 World Cup in Texas.
“I noticed him play in particular person, however that was years in the past,” stated the previous gamers’ agent. Two years in the past it was in Dallas for the below 18s. I haven’t seen him this season. Ideally, like the opposite candidates, we want to see him in particular person. The movies nonetheless give us an excellent impression. And we have now sufficient folks to verify the extent of his recreation and character. All of us have contacts.”
In balancing threat and reward, the needle in Michkov’s case factors an excessive amount of within the threat route.